1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet ink, an ink jet recording method, an ink cartridge, a recording unit, and an ink jet recording apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a state that ink is not ejected for a certain time period from an ejection orifice of a recording head in a process of scanning with the recording head when images are formed by employing an ink jet recording method, water or the like in ink evaporates from the ejection orifice of a recording head, so the ejection of the ink may not be normally performed. That is, sufficient intermittent ejection stability can not be obtained in some cases.
For example, such ink as described below has been proposed for solving the above-mentioned problem. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H03-255171 proposes an ink containing an alkylene glycol having 7 or more carbon atoms. In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-297237 proposes an ink containing an ethylene glycol-based organic solvent. In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H05-070726 proposes an ink containing a dicarboxylic acid monoester. In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-298813 proposes an ink containing water-soluble organic compounds different from each other in water retentivity at predetermined temperature and predetermined humidity as an ink capable of suppressing curling of a recorded article and of providing ejection stability. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-039680 proposes an ink containing water, a coloring material, 1,5-pentanediol, and a water retention agent, and an ink having such properties as to change from a gel or solid to a liquid depending on temperature and humidity environments as inks capable of providing ejection stability.